Desperate Men
by Lleu
Summary: In the midst of his war with Ganondorf, Link does all he can to save a man lost to despair.


"People are disgusting. My own father and mother are disgusting. You must be disgusting too." The words haunted Link. They were the words of a man who had already given up, a man who was broken. It was the first time that he had gone to Kakariko Village. He charged into the town, head high, eager to save Hyrule and ready for anything. Or so he thought.

"People are disgusting." The carpenter's son sat under a tree, his pasty white flesh wrapped tight around his bones. He raised his head as Link entered, and for a brief moment the hero thought he saw the boy's eyes light up. But the boy only stared at him and made his depressing announcement. Link ran past him, unable to deal with the despair.

The boy had a sister that Link encountered a few times on his quest. A slender woman with red hair and a sense of quiet purpose about her. She loved cuccos, and despite her allergies she insisted on raising them, one way or another. She was the complete opposite of her brother.

Link enjoyed the woman's hospitality whenever he visited Kakariko, especially after the rise of Ganondorf. Though her company was one of the few things that kept him sane in the new broken world, he could not call her a friend. His friends were Darunia, Impa, Shiek, and other such people. Those that fought beside him against Ganondorf. Forged in combat, their friendship was unbreakable. As much as he enjoyed her company, they could never share that same bond he had with the sages.

One day after finished a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon, she asked him for a favor. She pressed as blue cucco into his hands.

"This is Cojiro," she told him. "He was my brother's, but ever since he left..." Her voice trailed off as she fought back tears. Link placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and waited patiently.

"He's stopped crowing. I thought maybe, since you were so good with cuccos, he'd be happy with you."

_People are disgusting. My own father and mother are disgusting. You must be disgusting too. _Seven years later, the man's hopeless litany still echoed in his mind. He would find him. He would restore his hope, somehow. That is what heroes do.

He found him in the Lost Woods. Link knew he'd be there; it had a certain draw to lost people. From its mysterious labyrinthine structure to the air of magic that pervaded it, it was the logical place to go for one who was world-weary. Scorned by the other Kokiri, he had spent much of his childhood in there, away from their petty games and spite.

The boy was sitting under a tree, just like in Kakariko. His head rested lazily on his shoulder, and he glared up at Link, furious at the intrusion. Furious, until he noticed the blue cucco perched on Link's shoulder, crowing happily.

"Cojiro?" The man's face had a look of betrayal on it. "Why?" Hurt turned to confusion as he tried to process what was happening. He crawled forward and gazed up at the blue cucco with his wide pale eyes. "Only a nice guy like me can tame you. Which means..."

At his voice, Cojiro flew off of Link and landed on his master's outstretched arm. "He missed you," Link said. "Your sister misses you too."

"Disgusting, like the rest," the man growled. Link wanted to protest, but what could he say to a man so set in his thought? He could do nothing but look on with pity.

"Cojiro likes you, so you must be a nice guy!" he said in his raspy voice. Link did not deny it. The statement was true enough. "Please, nice guy. You have to help me." He held out a few of the forest mushrooms. "Take these to the old hag in Kakariko. She'll know what to do."

Wordless, Link took the mushrooms and exited the forest. He leaped on Epona, waiting right where he left her, and started riding hard for the village.

"Hey, do we really have time for this?" Navi said in his ear. "We still don't know what happened to Impa, or what that thing in the well was."

"We'll make time," Link growled. He fond it rather ironic. He had played with time's flow more than any man should be able to, had warped it in ways he still couldn't understand. He used it as casually as the other weapons in his arsenal, and yet he still never seemed to have enough of it.

"I know you want to save everyone, but is it worth it? How many people will Ganondorf kill while you're out saving this one? Why is he more important?"

"Because he's wrong!" Link shouted. Navi jumped back at the force of his voice and perched on his hat. "No one should end his life in such darkness. Even he deserves a friend."

At this, Navi jumped off Link's head and flew straight at Epona's nose. The horse reared up at the sudden ball of light that was attacking it. Link grabbed wildly at anything he could reach and eventually threw his arms about the horse's neck, holding on until she calmed down.

"Now is not the time to be sentimental, Link!" Navi shouted as loud as her fairy voice could get. "The world is dying, and it doesn't care that when you were a kid someone who thought he was important didn't like you or whatever sob story you're about to pull out. Think of Zelda!"

Link didn't listen. "Do not hinder me again, Navi," was all he said, his voice dangerously low. With a flick of the reigns, he was off again. No matter what the result, he was determined to help this man. It was important. Navi, thankfully, was quiet. Not even she would stand up to his anger.

Days later, he returned to the Lost Woods, but instead of the disheveled man, Fado sat. She giggled the same mischievous giggle she had seven years ago.

"Are you looking for the man who was here?" she asked. "He's gone now. He's-"

"Duck!" Navi barked, interrupting the Kokiri. Without thinking, Link rolled forward and felt a sword cut through the air above him as he did so. When he came to his feet, the Master Sword was in his hand. A Stalfos stood before him. They eyed each other up, and then the monster charged.

Link had fought many creatures like this before, and he easily avoided the blows, twisting just enough that they sailed past him, helping them along with his blade. The Stalfos hesitated, and then it was Link's turn. He lunged forward, aiming to drive his sword through the monster's mouth. But instead of an explosion of bone, there was a familiar squawk, and then blue feathers littered the forest floor.

The Stalfos looked down at the blue cucco, and for a moment Link thought there might still be something human inside the monster. Then he took the monster's head with a clean swipe, and it was over.

"Everyone who gets lost in these woods turns into a monster," Fado said. She hadn't moved from her spot during fight. The Kokiri had no reason to fear the monsters of the forest; the Deku Tree protected them.

Link held up the vial of medicine he had gotten from the hag. "This is from the forest," he told her. "It may as well go to you." He had nothing else to do with it after all.

"And this was from him," Fado said. She accepted the vial and handed him a saw in return. "You seem to be his friend. You should have it."

Link accepted the saw and turned to leave, but Fado had one last thing to say.

"Are you going to become a monster too?"

"I'm not lost," he replied. Within seconds he was back on Epona and riding back to the Temple of Time. It was time to explore the bottom of that well.


End file.
